Matthew Engel

On April 16, 2009 I was privileged to give a short talk at the Fundamentals of the Bioscience Industry Program at Stony Brook University. This program is part of a collaborative curriculum provided by the Center for Biotechnology and Business School. It is intended to give science based graduate students a crash course in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

The program remains an outstanding opportunity for academic researchers and students who otherwise may never have had personal interactions or exposure to seasoned professionals and industry veterans. Actively participating in the course gives job seekers many advantages, and as an alumni I can attest from my own experience and from the experiences of others that it can open many doors. However, like any good opportunity, your results will depend on what you make of it. This year I was invited back to give a short talk on a topic of my choice. As a successful job seeker, I have found that one of my personal strengths is the ability to make connections and find work in a field that interests me. Lorrence Green, President and owner of Westbury Diagnostics Inc, was present that day and set to teach the course. Larry and I have worked together, successfully launching his corporate website which has increased his company’s visibility, in addition to retaining and attracting customers. 

Therefore, I decided to give a talk on the importance of professional networks and other traits which will give the job seeker an advantage. I began by asking “Who wants to work in industry?” and “Who wants to stay in research?”. These are very important questions to consider when embarking on a scientific, legal or business related career in biotech. Most of the class knew they wanted to go to ‘industry’, though the majority of students don’t know how to make this transition occur. Therefore I focused on three main points: (1) Networking (2) Internships and (3) Skills with an emphasis in their relation to the job search.

From my experience I have found that meeting new people is the key to finding those covented jobs which may be available, but often unadvertised. For example, at conferences it is to one’s advantage to speak out and ask questions. This is a great way to get noticed, spark conversations and find out some new information about a speaker’s presentation. It also allows you to more comfortably introduce yourself to a speaker after their talk, if you have already addressed them in a public forum.

I find it helpful to attend any conference I can which is related to my field that has professionals available to rub shoulders with and ask for advice. Here, one should take the opportunity to meet new people and even collect their card, if the situation warrants. Often, I notice the ‘pathological’ networker, moving quickly from one ‘victim’ to the next in an effort to collect as many business cards as possible. I occasionally see this technique in action and find it unsuccessful (by observation only!). I would rather make 3 excellent contacts who I stay connected with, rather than many ‘weak’ contacts with individuals who would not remember my name or face the next day.

With today’s job market being so competitive, companies are often looking for people who mostly have experience. But without experience, how does one gain experience in the new field they are interested in? First of all, there is always demand for great people. Next, there are frequently internships to aid in this transition process. Apply for every job you can. As my father once told me, “if you never apply, you’ll never get the job”. It is important to consider different opportunities, have an open mind and think “I can do this” – meaning that you are motivated and interested in learning new skills which will make you more valuable in the market. These skills do not include just hard science skills, or research abilities.

There are a multitude of jobs available in quality assurance, scientific writing, FDA regulatory affairs, and intellectual property. Alot of this work can be found in government agencies themselves, such as the USPTO. Remember to always keep your resume up to date. Mine can be found here. I keep multiple versions available – some for private distribution and others for public distribution. When looking at a job advertisement, keep in mind it is not necessary to meet all their requirements listed in the ad. These are often just desired characteristics, such as “6 years experience”. They may very well end up hiring someone with 4 years experience, if they fit best into the company’s culture. 

Once, you are on the job, a whole new set of rules applies. A great tip I heard from Saied Tousi, VP at the Pall Corporation, was to always arrive before the boss. Another is to dress well. It pays dividends to consistently look professional. At conferences I recommend to dress as well as you can. There is a large difference between the what professionals can wear to work in academia and industry. Show people your resume and get feedback. This has been invaluable to me, and has allowed me to adjust my CV frequently with the help of a more experienced eye. Finally, it is important to always be on the look out. I suggested taking advantage of the corporate culture module portion of the class and to network with the course instructors themselves. Coincidently, the main presenter for the day was Bill Liggan – an energetic human resources professional at Icon Laboratories. Bill is an experienced recruiter with great knowledge about cultivating relationships and marketing yourself. It was a great opportunity to meet and share ideas, since our topics were so related. 

But most importantly, you are in control of your own destiny. When you finish graduate school, a job is not just thrown at you. Doctoral students have a very specific set of skills in their field. Our strength lies in the ability to leverage our analytical powers and determined nature to complete difficult tasks. So to all the job hunters out there, good luck and best wishes!I hope these little tidbits were helpful and maybe even inspiring. When you land that big job, don’t foget to say hi!